Austintown board approves natural-gas contract, MOUs, new student club and policies

The Austintown Local School District Board of Education approved a series of consent and superintendent-recommended items at its September regular session, including a master commodity agreement for natural gas, memoranda of understanding with employee and higher-education partners, a new student-managed Industrial Arts Club at Austintown Fitch High School and district policies.

The board voted unanimously on each item in successive roll call votes. Board members recorded as voting yes were Mister Sherwood, Missus Smrek, Mister Markham, Missus Mok and Mister Porter.

The contract: The board approved a master commodity and service agreement with NRG Business Marketing LLC for natural gas transition transactions. The motion specified an effective date of 11/01/2025 and an ending date listed in the motion as 10/31/2026.

Labor and partner agreements: The board approved a memorandum of understanding between the Austintown Board of Education and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (as stated in the motion, with the union language read into the record). The board also approved a separate memorandum of understanding with the College of Wooster; the motion referenced the College of Wooster and included the college address as read aloud in the record.

Student activities and policies: On the superintendent's recommendation the board approved the creation of a new student-managed activity, the Austintown Fitch Industrial Arts Club at Austintown Fitch High School, and approved a package of policies, procedures and guidelines tied to the club and other district matters.

Votes at the meeting: Each approval listed above passed on board roll call with recorded "yes" votes from Mister Sherwood, Missus Smrek, Mister Markham, Missus Mok and Mister Porter. The motions were moved and seconded as indicated in the record; the meeting transcript records the motions as "So moved" and "Second" but does not name individual movers for each motion.

Why it matters: The energy contract governs the district's natural-gas procurement for the stated term. The labor agreements and MOUs establish or renew working relationships with employees and partner institutions; the new Industrial Arts Club creates a student-managed extracurricular option at the high school.

The board also approved standard consent items and the superintendent's consent agenda as read into the record. No public comments on these items were recorded in the transcript.

The board set its next public meeting for Oct. 23, with a work session at 4 p.m. and a regular meeting at 5 p.m. at the middle school.